Merlin at Hogwarts
by BIRDSdon'tBUZZ
Summary: My first ever fanfiction, I started to write it for my sister who wanted it. It's going to be the story of Merlins first year at Hogwarts, and how he meets Arthur and stuff. *hopefully it's better than my lame summary skills*


OKAY! This is my FIRST EVER fanfiction! (So don't bite my head off if it sucks) I'm very unsure about it, but I feel like I did well ,but its not done yet! I will write more if anyone likes it... My goal, should I ever get there is to have like 20,000 words! 3 OH! Also no one has read over this yet...so it might have a few grammar errors! so sorry! Please read and *hopefully* enjoy this first part of the story!

* * *

Merlin, like the good kid he was, had been helping his mother clean up after his birthday breakfast when the owl first arrived. It had already been such an exciting day; Merlin had woken up to Hunith's hug, then he had eaten his ten pancakes stacked high with his ten little candles, and now there was an owl at the kitchen window.

Of course, at first the large white bird had startled the young boy, making him drop, then instinctively—magically, catch the plates he had been carrying. With ease, Merlin's magic made them magically float in midair as if time had stopped. The bird at the window chirped indignantly and ruffled its feathers as if to scold Merlin for his use of magic, or maybe to warn him of his mother who had entered the room.

"MERLIN!" Hunith gasped.

Merlin, who had been locked in a strange staring contest with the owl, sprang around and regretfully ceased all magic. CRASH. The plates shattered across the floor in all directions. Even before the pieces had stopped moving tears had budded in Merlin's eyes. Merlin was not supposed to use his powers; it made his mother sad and worried when he did. Merlin knew now what his mother was afraid of, but he hadn't always. And although it had never been spoken between the two, Merlin had promised, long before he understood what was going on, never to use his powers if he could help it.

But every once in a while Merlin couldn't help it. The magic bubbled to life under his skin and sometimes sprang to life before his very eyes. It did things like taming squirrels, fixing the leaky roof, and saving things from falling. Merlin had gotten better, much better in the last year or two, but it still didn't stop his mother from scowling at him—or Merlin from crying.

"I'm s-sorry…" Merlin sniffed into his mother's side. Hunith, who could never be mad when her son was crying, just shushed him and hugged him tight. Merlin continued to sniffle for a bit and babble. "I didn't mean to…But there was this owl and—"

"An owl?!" Hunith pulled her son gently to look him in the eye. "Merlin, where was the owl?"

"It was in the kitchen window…I.." But Merlin didn't get to finish because his mother rushed over the broken plate shards and opened the window. Merlin wanted to join her, but she motion for him not to cross the over the shards. So he waited for what seemed like ages before his mother came back with a letter in her hand and an unreadable smile on her face.

Whatever this letter was, it was life changing. That much Merlin expected. But he didn't expect the letter to be addressed to him.

Mr. Merlin Emrys

The Kitchen Window

13 Oak Street

Ealdor

Dear Mr. Emrys,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts Shool of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress.

* * *

It was half past noon by the time Hunith was done explaining all she understood about the wizard world to Merlin. Which was very, very little. But it was still ever so exciting to Merlin, because for the first time in a long while he was learning about his father. Merlin had always known that his father had died before Merlin himself was born, but Merlin hadn't known that his dad had been a wizard. And he had gone to Hogwarts, just like Merlin would.

Merlin could hardly contain his enjoyment. He was practically jumping off the walls, Hunith was just glad that Merlin had stopped asking why anyone would name a school after smelly lumps on a pig. She was also glad that the little she knew and had explained had been enough for Merlin to understand what was going on.

And then the door belled rang. Merlin leaped up, knowing who it was already and sure enough he opened the door to find his best friend, and neighbor, Will on the other side.

"Happy birthd—!"

"No Time Will!" Merlin said, "We're going to wizard school!"

Hunith's smile fell from her face and turned sour, then slightly horrified. Not that Will didn't already know about Merlin's powers (Will had figured it out when he saw Merlin growing full sized trees in the back yard.) It was the idea Merlin had that his friend could go with him that soured Hunith's face, for she knew she would have to be the bringer of bad news. She shuffled the excitable boys inside. She was not yet done explaining.

* * *

Much later the boys sat in the back yard, watching the sun go down and the fireflies come out.

"I'm gonna miss you Merlin..." Will said. He and merlin had been best friends since they were five and Will moved in next door. He took pride in being the only other person, besides Hunith and Gaius of course, that knew what Merlin could do. And Will had seen Merlin do some pretty cool stuff, but now Will couldn't help but hate Merlin's powers just a little. They were going to take his best friend away from him after all.

After a few seconds of silence, and Merlin staring sad eyed off into the sunset, Will tried again, "Man, I bet you'll have tons of fun without me too! You'll probably meet lots of other wizards just like you and go on adventures and rescue princesses from dragons and stuff!..." Will smiled "Just promise to write. Yeah?"

Merlin turned to Will and shook his head. "No."

"What do'ya mean 'No'?!"

Merlin grinned and shook his head again. "I don't mean I won't write…" He began. "I mean I won't have too. You've GOT to come with me!"

"I'm not like you Merlin." Will said. "My birthday was weeks ago…I'm sure I would have known by now…"

"But what if you were like me? Then would you go?" Merlin questioned slowly. Perhaps it was the odd wording, or tone, but it finally made Will look over to meet his friends eyes. Instantly Will could tell Merlin had a plan.

"Of course I would go…" Will said. "But I'm not a wizard...right Merlin?"

Merlin squished up his nose. "No. I think I can tell. Like when Uncle Gaius comes around…My magic always gets all tingly…I always knew he was different too." Merlin paused, "B-but I think I can give you some of my power. Then you could come."

Will's eyes went wide. "You can do that?!" He asked.

Merlin shook his head for the third time in as many minutes. "I don't know." He said honestly. "B-but I can try."

* * *

Neither one of the boy's remembered what happened after they had formed their plan. They just remember waking up in matching hospital beds. Apparently they had been unconscious for about 30 hours. Will was sick days afterwards too. He was vomiting, and coughing, running a fever, and complained non-stop about his insides feeling of 'tomato soup with live fish inside'. Merlin was not much better. Instead of a fever Merlin had gone cold; he needed half a dozen blankets and pain killers round the clock to stop his aches. On top of that Merlin also felt as if part of his soul had been forcefully torn out of him.

The Nurses couldn't explain it. They flitted in an about throughout the room, at all hours of the day, taking notes and asking constant questions. But even with the pain and the vomiting, every time the Nurses turned their backs the boys grinned at each other. For they knew that this was their best plan yet. It had worked Merlin assured Will it had even though no matter how many times Will tried to lift something, or do anything like Merlin nothing seem to happen.

The plan paid off; because the day Will went home a Hogwarts representative was waiting for him with a letter and an apology. Apparently he had been missed in the original letter batch, and strangely enough it was only now that his name had entered their radar. Merlin and Will secretly laughed at the promises to 'get to the bottom of this error'. It was a good time, only the two of them knowing, and grinning like fools at the new secret they kept.

Though, looking back on it Merlin figured out that his mother must have known. She probably had pieced the parts together the first night when she had found the boys passed out in the back yard. But even though she must have known, she never said a word about it. And Merlin was thankful for that.

* * *

Unrelated to Merlin's story thus far, another young boy received his letter. His name was Arthur Pendragon son of Uther Pendragon, minister of Magic. When Arthur's letter arrived, it was actually their butler who delivered it. On a silver platter no less.

Arthur had been so happy when he opened it, but when he had shown his father, Arthur was met with nothing less than a dismissal.

"Of course you got in." His Uther had spat "Pendragon's always get what they want, they would have let you in even if you didn't have a magical bone in your body!" Uther snorted at that, but Arthur just felt cold. "You, Arthur, come from a long line of Slytherins and you will produce a long line of Slytherins. Now go back to practicing before your tutor dies of old age!"

Arthur left his father's study after that. Not even bothering to tell his father that Gaius was taking a rare day off. Apparently he was taking grandnephew and his grandnephew's friend shopping. Arthur sat down in his large room and quietly wished he'd been invited along.

* * *

"Alright boys," Gaius said with a wave of his hand, "Welcome to Diagon Alley!"

The boys gasped as the world opened up to a cobble stone street filled with wizards in cloaks and funny hats. Merlin couldn't get enough. His magic buzzed happily under his skin as he tried to take it all in, the shops, the wizards, the owls, the cats, the smell…well the smell wasn't that great. In fact, Will looked a little green.

"I think I'm gonna' be sick!" Will whined.

"You can't get sick now!" Merlin complained "We'll have to go home!" And Merlin really didn't want to go home.

Will briefly caught his breath then punched Merlin in the arm. "I wasn't REALLY going to be sick."

"Uh-Huh.."Merlin said with a roll of his eyes "You were GREEN!"

"Was not!"

"Was too!"

Gaius chuckled at the two boys. "Well you're already doing better than I. I fainted the first time I came to Diagon Alley."

Merlin's eyes went wide. "Did you really Uncle Gaius?"

Gaius just chuckled again and led them off through the crowds and shops, never answering Merlin's question.

Although Will hadn't settled quite settled into the flow of the place like Merlin seemed too have, they both had a blast. They picked out telescopes, cloaks and cauldrons. All while avoiding the stands selling eyeballs and squid guts. To them Diagon Alley was like a dream. They even each got an owl.

Merlin has been ecstatic when he first found out they got pets. And owls were by far the coolest. Will picked out a large barn owl that the man claimed to be 'the swiftest creature you ever seen'. So of course Will had to go name the poor thing 'Swifty'. Merlin complained about the name, but Will wouldn't budge, so Merlin just told the bird he was sorry for Will's bad naming skills.

To prove that he was the best namer of them all Merlin dove into the cages of birds and came out with the tiniest brown owl Will had ever seen. It was so small it almost got lost in the cage, Will told Merlin to put it back but Merlin just shook his head, he had made a friend. The owl was then declared 'Archimedes' and although Will scoffed and said it wasn't any better than his name, Merlin still claimed to forever be the winner at bird naming.

* * *

The last thing on their long list was wands. Gaius led off to the shop with the boys happily in tow. But Merlin silently questioned why they would need wands, if everyone here was like him then surly they didn't need sticks to cast magic, right? But then again, since this morning Merlin had seen lots of wizards cast spells, little spells around the alley, things Merlin already knew how to do like fixing broken pottery. But instead of flicking their wrists and having their eyes glow, they said some words and waved around wands. Maybe, Merlin thought, it was just politer to do it that way…Or maybe well… It was just a little thought that burned in the back of Merlin's head… Yet again Merlin was beginning to worry that he was again 'strange'.

A sound of the little bell, and another older man greeting them, broke Merlin's thoughts.

"Is that you Gaius?" An elderly man from behind the desk asked. "Oh gosh I haven't seen you in ages! How's it been?"

Gaius greeted the man back and spoke his pleasantries. It was then the man behind the desk noticed the two boys who were *ahem* not hiding behind Gaius. "Ah…And who have you brought to me today? They won't happen to be yours, would they?"

"Oh, no, no." Gaius said as he took one step to the side and suddenly leaving Merlin and Will left in the open. "This is my grandnephew and his friend." He said as he gestured to Merlin and Will respectively with an arched eyebrow. "Don't be rude boys, introduce yourselves."

Will and Merlin eyed each other briefly, as if silently judging you would go first. Merlin was finally voted to go and stepped forward. "Hello…" He began "I'm Merlin."

The older man shook Merlin's hand. "Very nice to meet you Merlin." He said "My name's Ollivander, may I ask what your last name is?"

"Oh…Um.." Merlin blushed a little at forgetting his last name. "it's Emrys, Sir."

Ollivander's eyes briefly widened, it would have been missed by most, but the two boys had been watching. "Ah, yes I see…" Ollivander spoke as if he was trying to see his nose, "And you Sir?"

"I'm Will Parker." Will said.

"Parker…Parker…I don't think I know any recent Parkers." Will frowned slightly at the older man's words "Well that settles it! You will go first!" And with that Ollivander scurried off into the shelves. He came back a moment later with a small long box.

"Well I'm not sure, but you look like a holly man." He said. "So here you go, holly, slightly springy, just over ten I think, and unicorn tail hair to boot!"

Will looked at the wand in his hand like it was a baby alien.

"Well don't just look at it boy! Give it a wave!"

So Will did. Ollivander smiled "I must be getting lucky, first try and everything! Or maybe it's you who got lucky, hmm?" Ollivander chuckled and turned to Merlin. "Alright, one down, one to go. You. Hmm…"

Ollivander came back with a few different boxes. "I remember your father. …So I think I'll start off with Phoenix feather for you."

"You knew my father?" Merlin asked.

"Aye, I did. Made a mess of my shop when I gave him a perfectly good and springy dragon heart string to try out." But anymore questions were cut off when he handed the wand to Merlin. "Try this Young man."

So Merlin gripped a wand for the first time. He had thought it would have done...well something. Maybe amplify his magic? Instead it felt like Merlin's magic had been corked. Like the wand was stopping his magic from flowing freely throughout his mind and body. He gave it a flick, but nothing happened. The distaste must have shown on his face because the old man whisked it away and replaced it with another. And another. And another.

A dozen wands later and Ollivander was ready to try a dragon heartstring.

"If anything's gonna work on you," the old man said "I suppose it would be a dragon heart string. So try this one. Oak, 12 long, and unyielding."

The second Merlin picked up the wand he knew it had been a mistake. His magic reacted violently to the wand causing Merlin's hand to burn- No not his hand, the wand. The wand had caught fire! Merlin quickly dropped it, but still felt the pull on his magic as the wand touched the floorboards. But Merlin's magic continued to be pulled down, down, down pass the wand and far beneath the floorboards.

Suddenly Merlin screamed, and a blinding flash of blue and gold light filled the darkening room. Magically warping themselves the floorboards pulled apart one by one until there was a nothing but a black abyss in front of Merlin. Then a light appeared, first far away, then closer and closer until it pulled through the hole Merlin's magic had made.

For a second the source of the light had been a staff, but only a second, because then in another flash of blinding light it turned into a wand. It was a brilliant wand too. Long and dark, carved with intricate patterns and symbols, topped with a blue crystal, and it was just hovering there. Merlin didn't know what drove him to reach out for the wand, but it must have not been a too crazy of a thing to do, because as soon as Merlin gripped the thing it fell perfectly into his hand and the floor closed itself up. Like nothing had ever happened at all.

It was several long seconds before anyone moved or spoke again. Merlin faintly heard someone mumble an 'In all my years…' but couldn't tell what side of the room it had come from. Finally Ollivander coughed and Merlin looked over to him. He looked slightly pale, actually everyone in the room looked pale(Especially Will, who also looked green again), but Ollivander managed to speak with his normal voice.

"Well young Merlin, I think it's pretty clear that wand is yours, wouldn't you agree?"

Merlin nodded dumbly. "Y-yes." And merlin could feel it. This wand had no center. No core to cork up his magic- nothing. Unlike that awful one that…was now a burnt pile of ash on the floor. Merlin looked down to the small pile of ash, then up to Ollivander with wide deer-in-headlights eyes.

Ollivander frowned for a second then pulled a broom out from behind the desk. "Don't worry about it boy, it was a wand well spent."

As they were packing up to leave Merlin and will moved towards the door. Gaius must have thought he could get away with whispering, but Merlin had learned a long while ago how to get around that.

"I trust you won't tell anyone?" Gaius spoke softly to Ollivander.

The other man just chuckled "Not a sole. After all, I wouldn't have any customers left if went around blabbing, now would I?"

"Thank you Ollivander." Gaius said. And then they left.


End file.
